Pyongyang perks up to coffee, tea

Indigenous brew starts fashion trend in liquor-loving DPRK

Over the past year or so, drinking a cup of tea at leisure has become a fashion in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and a number of teahouses have sprung up around the capital city of Pyongyang.

The fashion of tea drinking that is beginning to prevail in the liquor-loving nation may be the result of the country's success in cultivating an indigenous tea - Kangryong green tea.

Located mostly above the 38th parallel, the DPRK is not supposed to be an ideal place for tea planting, as tea bushes don't generally survive in a chilly, arid climate. It is even widely believed that growing tea above 36 degrees north latitude can't succeed using traditional techniques.

However, late leader Kim Il-sung gave instructions as early as 1982 that the country should produce tea on its own. His successor, Kim Jong-il, continued to push further advances in tea-growing research.

Despite unfavorable natural conditions, Kangryong green tea was eventually produced on a large scale in Kangryong County in South Hwanghae province on the western coast between 37 and 38 degrees north latitude.

Shortly afterward, Kangryong black tea also emerged when the green tea leaves were crushed and oxidized by fermentation. In some teahouses, however, only green tea is available - probably because people are more fond of green tea, which is more beneficial to health. Kangryong green tea is said to be able to help prevent arteriosclerosis, reduce blood pressure, ease fatigue, boost brain power and eliminate toxins.

A waitress at a cafe on the first floor of Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang said that Kangryong green tea was also named un jong tea (meaning "gratitude"), in order to express gratitude for the two deceased DPRK leaders, "without whose care and guidance the people would not have been able to taste the homegrown tea".

The most popular teahouse in downtown Pyongyang is The Silver Bell, which is on a bustling street about 10 minutes' walk from the famous Koryo Hotel, where foreigners often stay. Although the teahouse was renamed Un Jong Teahouse, many people still call it The Silver Bell.

The teahouse opens at noon, and the wooden chairs and tables make it seem antique and elegant, in tune with the tea tasting atmosphere. Only tea, coffee and bread are offered in the shop.

Apart from un jong tea, ginseng tea also is popular in the local teahouses. It is mainly produced in Kaesong, a city renowned for its high-quality ginseng. And baek hwa tea, popular among female customers for its special skin nourishing effect, is also produced domestically.

Also nearby is a famous coffee shop, Pyolmuri, which means "star cluster". There are two rooms in the cafe, one for meals and the other for beverages and desserts.

In the coffee shop, choices include espresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and mocha. All coffees are handcrafted with a Swiss-made automatic espresso machine, with milk imported from Germany and ready-to-use ground coffee. The barista explained that German milk is used because domestically produced milk contains more fat.

The cafe also serves various Western foods and beverages, including spaghetti, pizza and tequila. Even cheese fondue is on the menu.

(China Daily 12/03/2014 page10)